Blogging Reflections and Paula Deen’s Fresh Apple Cake

When I started blogging I did for a few reasons, first it was a creative outlet and it filled a part of my life that was missing. As a stay-at-home mom it was a distraction that took me away from baby stuff that didn’t take me out of the house. My posts were shared only with friends and family. There was no Facebook page, Twitter account, or Pinterest boards to promote my blog. It wasn’t about the numbers. It was for me; a way to experiment with baking and a way to share my experiences.

I can’t recall when I made my accounts for all these social media sites (I’m sure they would all tell me if I could be bothered to look), but it changed the way I blogged. All of the sudden it was about trends, shares, and likes. I started making things I thought might do well on the blog instead of things I wanted to actually eat in hopes it would get shared and liked. When I realised I wasn’t enjoying blogging or baking any more following this behavior, I backed off and went back to doing what I liked and relished in any views or likes I did get, not the ones I didn’t get.

It’s changed again, but now it seems to be all about the free stuff and/or being paid. There are bloggers out there that have amazing blogs with amazing stats and they deserve to get paid for their work. However, I’m not there yet and I don’t know that I ever will be.

There was a time where I was actually quite flattered and said yes to every “free” sample offered to me. It didn’t long before I didn’t recognise my blog and realised the hard way that nothing is free. I have politely said no to 98% of the opportunities sent my way in the last year or so. Sometimes I wonder if I’m missing out, but I’m not ready, as I mentioned above, to make it a job.

It’s something I do besides everything else I do. It’s something I do for me.

Blogging 101 - Get to the Point.

I do ramble a lot. To the point or to the cake.

I taught myself how to bake by using other people’s recipes and then as I became more confident adapting them one way or the other to make them more my own. There are debates on this method of sharing recipes, but I’ve never considered nor claimed myself to be a recipe developer. My blog is to share my adventures in learning to bake and how it’s become a part of my life and changed it.

There are still many times I still just follow a recipe and a lot of the time these baked goods don’t make it on to the blog. This time I thought I would share it by linking to the recipe online. I found the recipe in a book who had permission to republish it, but it’s also available online. The recipe for Paula Deen’s Fresh Apple Cake from Georgia can be found on the USA Food Network website.

First you have the cake with the apples, coconut, and pecans but to take it that step further you pour a warm butter mixture into/onto the warm cake and let it sit to soak in. There are no words. It’s amazing! Follow the link above and make it for yourself. You will want a slice right away as the whole kitchen fills with the smells of autumn spices!

notes: or I should say disclaimer! I was not asked to make this recipe or to promote it, Paula Deen, or Food Network in anyway. It looked good and so I made it and I liked it and now I’m sharing with you! Enjoy!

Fruity Cookie Cups

It’s like I’m a grown up now. When I was younger if something didn’t work out I’d just move on to the next thing. I didn’t really care nor want to know why it didn’t. If felt easier to just move forward then trying to stay put. 

Now I am more curious to why something didn’t work and how do you fix it. Sometimes it’s something simple sometimes it’s a combination of things and that starts the trial and error. 

I bought this novelty cookie pan thinking how great it was going to be to make cookie cups for everything for the rest of my life. Of course it sat on the shelf for ages before I finally got around to using it. I thought right away that I would try the recipe on the packaging as they should know what they are talking about. 

However, they failed and when I say failed I mean they didn’t turn out at all! So, the trial and error began. I tried keeping the dough in the fridge I tried greasing and flouring the pan, but at the end the dough was just not right. I have read that American butter has more water in it and that European butter has more fat and that can cause issues when baking. As the pan hails from American then I have to assume the recipe was tested in America…that and it is in cups and stuff. 

So, I tried the sugar cookie recipe you see below and I managed to get results, but not after changing the method as well. Instead of making balls and squishing them down I ended up rolling the dough out and cutting out circles and making sure the pan was greased properly I succeeded in making cookie cups filled with whipped cream cheese and topped with fruit. 

After all that here is officially how I finally made these super tasty fruit cookie cups! I am glad I didn’t just move on, the effort was worth it! See, I’ve grown up a bit. Also if you don’t have one of these fancy pants novelty cookie pans then just cut your cookies into circles and follow the instructions below!

Fruity Cookie Cups

cookie cups
200g unsalted butter
280g golden caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 medium egg
400g plain flour
salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Beat the butter and sugar together light and fluffy. Mix in the egg until combined. Add the flour, salt, and cream of tartar and mix well! Separate into two parts and wrap in cling wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30minutes or so. This is when I heat the oven to 170C/325F/gas3.

Grease your novelty cookie cup pan with butter, if you don't have one turn your muffin pan upside down and grease the the outside cups. Roll out half of the cookie dough and cut out circles that match whatever pan you're using and place on the greased pan. Bake for 10 minutes. The cookies should only be slightly brown on the edges. Take off the pan as soon as you can touch them, otherwise even though properly greased they may stick as they cool. 

filling:

280g cream cheese 

2 tablespoons of sugar

various fruits, chopped

Whip it up together. Put in a piping bag and pipe into your cookie cups. Top with your chopped up fruits! 

notes: recipe is adapted from the hummingbird bakery cookbook - the novelty bake tin can be seen in this Five on Friday post. Check out my instagram (@unitedcakedom) for all the failed attempts! 

challenges: Treat Petite hosted by The Baking Explorer with Cakeyboi 

You Can Take the Girl out of America, but...

Recently I have been told that I occasionally sound British. More specifically strangers have said to me that they weren't sure about my accent as I said something that sounded American, but then I sounded British.

I’m not sure what that means. Nor am I really sure how I’m suppose to feel about that?

Maybe that’s why I get mistaken as Irish sometimes. An American accent with a British accent twang perhaps? American accents are actually closer related to the Irish/English then the English/English.

I don’t actually know if that is true, I was just told that by a fellow American Expat. She has been mistaken as Irish before too. One very nice Irish twitter friend I tweet occasionally told me she gets mistaken as American.

Crazy. I suppose I should have expected after 8+ years that I would pick up on the British ways of saying things. It’s not a bad thing, but I like sounding like an American. It’s a part of me, ya know?

I will get used to it, just like I had to get used to my last name when I married.

However just because the girl has been taken out of America does not mean the America has been taken out of the girl! Here are some Peanut Butter Thumbprint cookies filled with a raspberry jelly!

And yes I used cups!! You know what else? I use an American laptop because I can’t type on a British keyboard! You didn't need to know that random fact, but I felt it’s about time I confessed.

Don't be put off by the cups because these cookies are yummy! They are great as an after school snack or just because you like peanut butter and jelly!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Thumbprint Cookies

1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (plain flour)

½ tsp baking soda (baking powder)

1 tsp flaky sea salt or ¾ tsp fine sea salt

8 tbsp (1 stick (114g)) unsalted butter, melted

½ cup packed light brown sugar

½ cup golden granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup natural smooth peanut butter (stir well to blend the oil before measuring)

Mix the flour, baking soda, salt and then set aside. In another bowl mix the sugar and melted butter, before whisking in the egg, vanilla, and peanut butter. Fold in the flour mixture until just combined. Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for an hour. Don’t worry if you need to leave it for longer, you can leave it over night if you must!

Preheat the oven to 325F/160C/gas3 and prepare two baking sheets. The recipe makes about 4-dozen cookies.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes, until lightly colored on top and underneath, one cookie will need to be sacrificed to check the bottom. Because the cookies are soft to the touch as they come out of the oven when you turn one over it will most likely crumble.

Which is okay as they firm up while they cool. Which is why when they come out of the oven you need to put the “thumbprint” in the cookies before they cool. I used the bottom of my silicone pastry brush to make a hole in the middle to hold the jelly a bit better. When making the “thumbprint” you need to be very gentle as the cookies are sensitive.

to finish

3-5 tbsp Jelly/Jam of any flavor 

Before serving fill the “thumbprints” with jelly! Then Enjoy!

notes: I did try to hunt down some Grape Jelly as is traditional in PB & J, however I didn't want to pay the extortionate shipping fees for one jar of jelly! Natural Peanut Butter & Co. comes in 340g(12oz) tubs that equals one cup. I bought all the ingredients for this recipe. When I say I can’t type on a British keyboard I mean I won’t. I get really frustrated without my American keyboard! O_o Recipe is slightly changed from Alice Medrich's recipe in Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-your-Mouth Cookies.

I made these for Treat Petite Baking Blogging Challenge hosted by The Baking Explorer (this month's host) and CakeyBoi! This month’s theme was America! Can’t wait to see what next month’s theme is! 

How to Make Cake Flour

As far as I am aware Cake Flour isn't available here in the UK. I have in the past just substituted plain flour and ended up with varying results. Therefore I wouldn't suggest doing that.

After a little research I have found the secret to making my own. You will need a US measuring (1) cup, a measuring tablespoon, plain flour, and corn flour (known as corn starch in the US).

Place two tablespoons of corn flour into your measuring cup.

Then fill up the cup with plain flour. I usually pour my flour into the cup because the bag is hard to get a cup in and out of without making a huge mess.

If you are of the dipping and leveling then do that with your flour, then take out 2 tablespoons and add in 2 tablespoons of corn flour. Which ever method is easiest for you.

I have a few cakes and bakes to make that are American that require Cake Flour so I made 2 cups to start with. It's so easy that you can make it as you need it or make it in advance and store it in the cupboard!